Looking to refresh my engine bay and would like to paint my engine block. Anybody know what the factory colour was?

According to my quick research - black appears to be the colour...

https://www.mokeforum.com.au/index.php?topic=6697.15

Yes the engine was black

There is a little bit of a story here. This engine was fully imported from UK and made to Swedish specification, that configuration being the one most suitable for our ADR emissions regulations. Upon delivery to Australia, the engine was black, including the rocker cover. During preparation, the rocker cover was removed because the oil hose pipe at the top had to be swung around to face the direction shown in Brad's photos above. While it was off, the rocker cover was put through the paint shop and painted silver to set the engine apart with an extra touch compared to the base model YDO21 models, those remaining black.

How was it swung around? Is it welded on, or just held by a nut underneath?

The pipe is brazed. Just going on the parts book part numbers, the reworked rocker cover with pipe and silver colour applied only to LS1275. By that time, sales of 998cc were probably minimal, but apparently the 998 rocker covers were not painted or altered although there is a part CAM453 for 998cc for which I don't have a drawing. The picture below shows the 1275 rocker cover where you can see that they just traced the old part and whited out the old oil pipe and drew it in the new position. Elsewhere on the drawing also specifies silver finish to the exterior surface as part of the rework.

Thanks - explains the peeling black paint on my engine... Including the clutch cover.

Hi
Does anyone have similar underbonnet picture for 998 LS
TIA

Dr Google is you friend here, e ter Mini 998 ls. I am hesitant to link but facebook, pinterest etc all have pics

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Cheers Dave.

Tony has more knowledge than I do on this but I thought the 998 rocker covers were painted while the pipe was left as it was.

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Cheers Dave.

This is a Mini S which is very similar to the 998LS engine bay.


The main difference is the second relay next to the washer bottle.

Where have all the air pumps gone?

I've looked into this a little more and can provide more information.

998cc YDO21 Rocker cover black as received from UK. Vent pointing toward carburetter.

998cc YDO22 S, SS, and LS. Rocker cover CAM4543 is specified as black, with the vent angled towards the carburetter as before, but Ron Moss tells me that he organised the covers to be painted silver - but this did not generate a new drawing. They just did it off their own bat at Enfield. This rocker cover has a long neck oil cap.

1275cc YDO22 LS. Rocker cover 12A1530 specified as black with vcnt angled towards the carburetter as received from UK, but painted silver and vent repositioned in Australia to point toward radiator. A new drawing was prepared for this rework. THis rocker cover has a short neck oil cap.

Note, the original vent pipe pointing toward carburetter is soldered on. The 1275LS rework has the repositioned vent pipe brazed in position.

A bit more complicated than my original reply.
regards
Tony

They were a waste of at least 5 hp, can't buy new, they've gone in the bin with all the other exhaust dilution rubbish. Good riddance.

I think ADR27A became obsolete since ulp fuel came in.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

ADR27A was replaced by ADR27B, and then AD27C and again by ADR37....Thanks to the introduction of catalytic converters and more modern closed loop emission control systems, we don't have to worry so much about the tacked on devices so despised of those years.

Did 1978 998LS have a White or Yellow plastic fan
TIA